Better than Butter Chicken: 6 Classic Indian Dishes you must Order

Mention Indian food and immediately everyone’s favourite
curry – Butter Chicken – springs to mind. This luscious dish is beautifully
balanced with a refreshing raita and buttery rice, stained golden by the earthy
flavour of turmeric.

There is so much more to Indian fare than this one curry and
as Independence Day approaches on August 15, it’s time to explore the flavours
of the sub-continent in more depth. From seafood to lamb and poultry, combined
with exotic spices and aromatic herbs, these recipes add zing to meals that
will have the senses salivating and tastebuds tingling.

From Babu
Ji restaurant in the Melbourne foodie hub
of St Kilda, comes this recipe for vegetarian street food, originally hailing from
Mumbai. Batata Vada literally
means potato and lentil fritters, where the mashed mixture is combined with
spices and coated in chickpea flour, then deep-fried.

Served
piping hot with yoghurt and pineapple sauce, topped with radish, beetroot
julienne and micro herbs, this is a visual feast on the plate and is sure to
disappear as quickly as it hits the table. A great start to an Indian adventure,
or an anytime snack with punch, try these fritters at home and watch the
reaction from family and guests alike.

Roti Boti Indian Restaurant in Hampton delivers
classic flavours from the East coast of India in this delicious seafood recipe.
King prawns are marinated in a mixture of yoghurt and spices, then skewered and
grilled until golden brown, sprinkled with chaat masala and lemon juice and
finished with fresh coriander.

The
bite of red chilli teamed with turmeric, ginger, garlic and lemon is a perfect
marriage of flavours to complement the prawns. This dish can be served as an
entrée, or main with rice and naan bread and watch the look of rapture on faces
around the table as they tuck into a seafood sensation.

Award-winning
Terrey Hills restaurant Urban Tadka shares this recipe for
spatchcock chicken, marinated in yoghurt and gorgeous Indian spices and oven
roasted to perfection. Originating in the Punjab region, this dish is usually
cooked in a clay tandoor but has evolved to a point where it can be roasted in
any home oven with the same resulting flavours.

The
distinctive fiery colour of this curry comes from the saffron and chilli powder
used in the marinade, while yoghurt helps cut through the spice and add a
creamy element to the taste. This family-friendly dish will result in empty
plates and cries of ‘more please.’

Enjoy chunks of melt-in-the-mouth tender pork belly in a rich
curry sauce, topped with crunchy pork scratchings, with this offering from
Sydney restaurant Indu Dining. This curry gets its
depth of flavour from Xacuti spice paste - a traditional favourite in Goa,
created from a mixture of roasted spices and coconut, which release a sweet
aroma while cooking.

Teamed
with sides such as rice, naan, chapati and pappadums, it is a great dinner
party dish to place in the centre of the table and let guests tuck into a bowl
of steaming deliciousness, with a crunch to munch on, on top.

One
of the most famous dishes in Indian cuisine and seen in every good restaurant,
tandoori chicken was reputedly eaten by Jackie Kennedy on a flight from Rome to
Bombay in 1962. This version comes from Western Australia’s The Kauphy Place restaurant in
Willetton and its moderate heat makes it ideal for all the family.

Tender
and tasty, serve garnished with sliced onions and lime wedges, with basmati
rice and a cucumber salad as a week night staple and watch the chicken legs
vanish in a haze of happiness and satiated tummies.

Indulgent,
but easy, this hearty lamb shank curry from Spiced by Billus restaurant in
Barangaroo, is packed with flavour and cooked nice and slow. Rogan Josh is an
aromatic dish from the Kashmir region of India and the name means meat cooked
in clarified butter at intense heat, usually with several spices.

The
result is lamb so tender it falls off the bone and accompanied with rice and
bread, this dish will turn into a favourite Winter dinner winner.